From
the Nov. 2006 Review of Point-of-Sale Systems
Sage Accpac
ePOS is a point of sale program designed to work in conjunction with Sage Accpac
ERP (enterprise resource planning). Sage Accpac ePOS is ideally suited for small
to midsize retail stores with multiple locations.
EASE OF USE — 4.5 Stars
Prior to using Sage Accpac ePOS, one of the Sage Accpac ERP editions (100, 200
or 500) must be installed, and should be left to an experienced IT person. The
standard user interface contains a drop-down menu at the top with functions
such as File, Report, Functions, Options and Help. Below the menu bar is the
main POS screen, which contains Main Screen, Customer, Item and Layaway tabs.
The main screen option is where all charges are entered, layaway items processed,
returns and exchanges processed, and pricing totals adjusted. Items can be scanned,
entered by UPC code or looked up in the system. Transactions can be processed
on a cash basis or by customer. The item search screen lets you search any or
all locations and displays all available inventory items in stock at each location.
Users will find the necessary functions such as Cash Out, Enable/Disable Cash
Drawer, and Process All Transactions under the File option at the top of the
main screen. A simplified touch screen enabled interface can be used as well,
that contains a keypad to the right of the screen with an area to enter or scan
items, a tab to finalize sales, and lookup options. Because it’s browser-based,
system navigation and transaction processing is as simple as navigating through
a standard web interface.
MODULES/SCALABILITY — 5 Stars
As previously noted, Sage Accpac ePOS works with the Sage Accpac ERP system.
Modules available include GL, AP, AR, Payroll, Purchase Order, Inventory Control,
Order Entry, Multi-Currency, Project and Job Costing, Serialized Inventory,
Lot Tracking and System Manager modules. Sage Accpac ERP also has a catalog
of various add-ons available to use with Sage Accpac ePOS and the ERP system,
including a customizable user interface that includes multi-lingual capabilities.
Sage Accpac ERP is available in three editions: 100 (for up to five users),
200 (for up to 10 users) and 500 (for unlimited users). Sage Accpac 100 ERP
and Sage Accpac 200 ERP can easily be upgraded to the next level (500), when
necessary. Sage Accpac ePOS is available in two editions: 200 (supports standard
inventory) and 500 (supports standard, serialized and/or lot-tracked inventory).
Sage Accpac 200 ePOS can easily be upgraded to the next level (500), when necessary.
FEATURES/FUNCTIONALITY — 5 Stars
Because ePOS is deployed over the Internet, all system users can be managed
remotely from one workstation. Users can choose between the standard and the
simplified sales entry screen. The simplified screen uses touch screen technology,
and would be used in high-volume retail stores. The standard screen contains
more features and allows customer and item lookup (item lookup is also available
in the simplified “scan-and-bag” interface), where you can also
add new items, customers and transactions on the fly. Alternatively, users can
also create their own User Interfaces customized to their own specific operations/job
functions.
All locations are linked remotely with real-time access to inventory levels.
Sage Accpac ePOS can also handle special and sales pricing, and customer quotes.
It offers order entry functionality as well as the ability to create invoices,
receipts and customized notes. Sage Accpac ePOS also has a built-in interface
to process debit and credit cards. Using specific menu features, users can specify
percentage discounts, process a transaction as tax exempt, and discount line
items or the entire purchase.
Gift and loyalty cards can also be issued with Sage Accpac ePOS. Cash out
procedures allow for the tracking of currency by denomination. Users simply
enter the total for each bill type, and Sage Accpac ePOS will calculate the
totals. Employees can be set up individually with their own passwords or groups
can be created, such as managers, supervisors, lead cashiers, etc. Each group
is then given access to specific items, such as the ability to process refunds,
change pricing, offer discounts, etc.
INTEGRATION — 5 Stars
As previously mentioned, Sage Accpac ePOS integrates with Sage Accpac ERP to
give you complete front/back office financial processing capability. Sage Accpac
ePOS also integrates with a variety of hardware peripherals, including touch
screens, barcode readers, cash drawers, magnetic card readers, pole displays,
receipt printers, weigh scales, and the built-in credit card authorization function.
TRACKING/REPORTS — 5 Stars
Customer loyalty and purchasing history can be tracked using loyalty points.
Customers can be provided with gift cards, and subsequent purchases made with
the cards can be tracked. Each customer is assigned a PIN number to provide
identification upon redeeming points. Users can also authorize loyalty points
on specific inventory items, change points for a limited period of time, or
offer private sales for loyalty customers. With Sage Accpac ePOS, gift cards
and gift certificates can be tracked and analyzed to determine customer buying
habits for future sales events. Sage Accpac ePOS will also track inventory totals
for all online locations, allowing users to view inventory stock at all locations
in real time.
Along with standard financial reports available in Sage Accpac ERP, Sage Accpac
ePOS also offers a variety of reports including a daily Cash Out report, a Transaction
Report, a Payment Report, a Category Sales Report, and a Detailed Transaction
Report. Batches can also be printed for order entry, inventory, AP and AR.
RELATIVE VALUE — 5 Stars
Sage Accpac ePOS is a sophisticated point-of-sale program that is suitable for
both single-user and multi-user retailers with multiple locations. The Sage
Accpac ePOS server component (which includes one free register license) costs
$2,000 (USD), and the register component costs $1,000 (USD). This does not include
the cost of Sage Accpac ERP, which must be purchased separately. An integrated
retail bundle that includes all required modules of Sage Accpac 100 ERP (two
users), and a two-register Sage Accpac 200 ePOS system is available for $6,499
(USD). If you are looking for a product that can grow along with your retail
establishments, this could be it.
2006 Overall Rating: 5 Stars
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Tags: Technology
